<![CDATA[Church of the Holy Spirit

<![CDATA[Church of the Holy Spirit - Youth Group News]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 16:05:08 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Press Release from Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning]]>Sun, 14 Dec 2025 16:29:33 GMThttps://www.churchholyspirit.org/youth-group-news/press-release-from-foundation-for-impact-on-literacy-and-learningTHE FOUNDATION FOR IMPACT ON LITERACY AND LEARNING (FILL) AND ALBERTSONS COMPANIES FOUNDATION ANNOUNCE THE 2025 GRANT RECIPIENTS OF THE EXPLORE.ACT.TELL. PROGRAM

Church of the Holy Spirit Youth Group in Lebanon, New Jersey, Receives Grant to Help Fight Hunger in the Community

Church of the Holy Spirit Youth Group has received a grant from the Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning (FILL) and Albertsons Companies Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbors to help combat hunger due to food insecurity in the community as part of the Explore.Act.Tell Program

The Project: Birthday Boxes for Open Cupboard Food Pantry / Birthday Bags & Baby Bags for Flemington Food Pantry

Project Description: From a fundraising campaign, the youth group at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Lebanon, NJ, purchased supplies to assemble “birthday cake kits” for the Open Cupboard Food Pantry, helping families celebrate special occasions. The group also organized a donation drive for the Flemington Food Pantry, collecting items to create “birthday bags” and “baby bags” for the families they serve.

About the Program:The Explore.Act.Tell.Program helps students in grades 6 to 12 recognize food insecurity issues in their neighborhoods. The students learn skills needed to be responsible citizens and advocate for community service. This initiative is funded by Nourishing Neighbors, a charitable program of Albertsons Companies Foundation, which seeks to ensure at-risk children, adults, seniors, and families have access to the food they need to thrive. Since 2020, FILL has been partnering with Nourishing Neighbors to recognize students’ efforts as they work to end hunger in their communities throughout the United States.

More than 261,000 students and nearly 2,500 teachers and educators nationwide have participated in this program since its inception. Explore.Act.Tell. engages young people in service learning guiding them to practice leadership and civic engagement. Through four interactive lessons, students define food insecurity issues facing their communities and then create and implement a hunger solution project. Finally, the students share their stories and results by developing PSA videos.

“The success of the Explore.Act.Tell.Program is a direct testament to the incredible passion with which students and educators have embraced our curriculum and message,” said Diane Barrett, Executive Director of the Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning. “As another school year begins, we are excited to observe how students learn to collaborate, plan actions and research hunger and food insecurity in their communities.”

Christy Duncan Anderson, President and Executive Director of Albertsons Companies Foundation Nourishing Neighbors said, “We are incredibly proud to partner with the Church of the Holy Spirit Youth Group in our shared mission to end hunger in our neighborhoods.

Together, we are committed to making a tangible difference in the lives of those in need, ensuring that no one goes to bed hungry. This partnership is a testament to our dedication to building stronger, healthier communities.”

This fall, Explore.Act.Tell. will be launching the sixth year of the program. Designed for students in middle and high school, Explore.Act.Tell. works in all settings and subject areas, such as in class, clubs, homeschoolers, and youth groups. Interested teachers can visit exploreactell.org for registration updates, additional details, resources, and information.

About the Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning: The Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning is an IRS tax-exempt 501(c)3 public charity that has developed and executed cross-curricular educational resources donated to schools since 2003.

Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning
Diane Barrett
Executive Director
631-424-2197
dbarrett@fill.foundation
RELEASE DATE: October 16, 2025

]]><![CDATA[Autumn Activities]]>Mon, 24 Nov 2025 13:32:09 GMThttps://www.churchholyspirit.org/youth-group-news/autumn-activities

The YG has met twice this fall for dinner and fellowship. They assembled a Christmas tree for the narthex so parishioners can add their own gratitude ornaments to the collection already created by Children's Formation. So cheery! Thank you Janet Matts for the tree.

Thank you Mother Kim for a fun baked-potato-bar dinner.

We had representatives help make apple pies for the food pantry Thanksgiving efforts at St. Edward's Catholic Church.

Plans for the year include the Nightwatch overnight retreat in NYC, choosing a project for Explore.Act.Tell., Feed My Starving Children meal packing, and Good Friday Mr. Fixit work among others.

]]><![CDATA[Youth Project Check is here!]]>Mon, 15 Sep 2025 17:42:14 GMThttps://www.churchholyspirit.org/youth-group-news/youth-project-check-is-here

]]><![CDATA[June 8 Report]]>Sat, 14 Jun 2025 17:15:30 GMThttps://www.churchholyspirit.org/youth-group-news/june-8-report

Jasmine and Lily reporting:
I have good news to share about the Youth Group’s Project during Lent.

We collected enough items to donate 6 Birthday Bags and 6 Baby Bags to the Flemington Food Pantry. We also collected enough funds to purchase items for 30 Birthday Cake Kits for Open Cupboard Pantry.

We also submitted our project for a grant through the Explore.Act.Tell program funded by Albertson’s Corporation as part of their Nourishing Neighbors outreach. In our area, ACME and Kings grocery stores are part of Albertson’s. Annually, the Explore.Act.Tell program issues 30 grants between $200 and $2,500 to nonprofit organizations involved in food insecurity.

This week we found out that our project submission was selected as a grant recipient of $2500 for Open Cupboard Food Pantry! We are excited to be able to support the food pantry with a monetary donation in addition to the birthday cake kits and our red wagon ministry. Open Cupboard will receive the funds by mid July. At the end of summer Explore.Act.Tell will send us a “Big Check” that our youth group will present to Open Cupboard to celebrate our work together. We thank our church for their support in donating items and funds to help support our project.

]]><![CDATA[Mother's Day Breakfast May 11]]>Mon, 21 Apr 2025 15:41:46 GMThttps://www.churchholyspirit.org/youth-group-news/mothers-day-breakfast-may-11Mother's Day Breakfast. Youth Group and Children's Formation are hosting a breakfast between the services at 9:00 on May 11. Suggested donation of $5 per person will benefit the youth group. To volunteer or donate food items email Lindsay wyglos@gmail.com

To volunteer or donate food items please use this Signup Genius link.

Thanks so much,
Lindsay

]]><![CDATA[Spring Youth Group Plans]]>Mon, 21 Apr 2025 15:40:16 GMThttps://www.churchholyspirit.org/youth-group-news/spring-youth-group-plans

April 27 5:30-7 Youth Group meeting in St. Jon
April 29 6:30-8 Youth Group shopping trip for Open Cupboard cake kits (Shoprite)
June 1st the Youth Group is taking a mini golf outing. 1pm

]]><![CDATA[T-Shirts are here!]]>Fri, 11 Apr 2025 20:07:01 GMThttps://www.churchholyspirit.org/youth-group-news/t-shirts-are-here

A Message from the Youth Group - The Church of the Holy Spirit t-shirt orders have arrived. They are sorted and ready take today or I can make a special arrangement for pick up. Thank you for supporting our youth group!
Michelle Marlow

]]><![CDATA[Lenten Plans]]>Wed, 12 Mar 2025 17:45:52 GMThttps://www.churchholyspirit.org/youth-group-news/lenten-plans

chalk drawing by L.A.W.

The Youth Group currently has several projects underway.

1. CHS T-Shirt sales will benefit the YG. Get yours! Deadline March 23.

2. Flemington Food Pantry Birthday and Baby Bags. Donations accepted March 16-April 13.

3. Feed My Starving Children meal packing event April 5. All are welcome. Sign up with Lindsay wyglos@gmail.com

4. Good Friday Day of Service we will be visiting homes to do yard work for Mr. Fixit.

]]><![CDATA[Baby & Birthday Bags]]>Tue, 11 Mar 2025 15:41:12 GMThttps://www.churchholyspirit.org/youth-group-news/baby-birthday-bags

Flemington Food Pantry Baby & Birthday Bag Drive
The teens of the CHS Youth Group will be collecting donations of items and funds in order to contribute special stuffed gift bags to the pantry. On Sundays during Lent, you can either donate via the PayPal link below with Baby & Birthday Bags option chosen or you can take a tag from our displays in the narthex. Take the reminder tag and write your name on the sign up tag and leave it at the table. Please return items to the table by Sunday April 13th and thank you so much for your generosity. Questions to Jane Anderson or Lily Wyglendowski.

]]><![CDATA[Plans for November & December]]>Wed, 20 Nov 2024 17:54:24 GMThttps://www.churchholyspirit.org/youth-group-news/plans-for-november-decemberChildren's Formation and Youth Group: We are beginning drum and singing practice! Practices will be on December 1st 10am, 8th 9am, and 15th 10am with performances on the 15th and 4pm on the 24th. We will sing with the choir at 10am on December 22nd. All are welcome whether they've practiced or not!

Youth Group Special Activities:
Nov 22 - Pie Making at St. Edwards Milford,
Dec 8 at 5:30 - Christmas Movie & Dinner at CHS
]]>